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Patient empowerment The Core of hospice Philosophy J erry Kerschen has been the President and CEO of Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice for 15 years. Throughout his career, he has been an advocate for patient choice and supports the concept of interdisciplinary teamwork in patient care. Here is our exclusive CEO Edition interview with Kerschen. Q What is it that makes the hospice philosophy so successful in this age of patient empowerment? Jerry Kerschen, President and CEO, Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice A: I think there are a couple of reasons hospices had an early focus on patient empowerment. Foremost, it has always been a natural inclination, when dealing with end-of-life issues, for staff to embrace the patient and family in making those important decisions about care. Because the hospice is dependent on the family and other caregivers to be part of the team, it is important that all understand and support the goals of the patient. One of our essential core values as a hospice is patient empowerment, or what we call ���self-determined end-of-life care.��� Secondly, we are fortunate that the designers of the Medicare benefit for hospice as a covered service have clearly required that the patient and family be educated and involved in the planning of care decisions. Q How important is it for a patient to be engaged in his or her medical treatment? A: It is absolutely essential. I think all of us, at this most crucial point of our lives, would want the right to make informed decisions about our care. Our task is to clarify the options and support the patient in his or her decisions. As you might imagine, just clarifying the options can be very challenging 10 | Greater Kansas md news ��� mdnews.com and often involves considering a variety of opinions from those close to the patient. Then sometimes, if the patient becomes unable to continue to communicate his or her needs, we work with the durable power of attorney for health care and help him or her navigate the possibilities and work with other family members. It is also common that decisions related to medical treatment are affected by nonmedical issues, such as psychosocial or spiritual considerations. The earlier we can include the patient and family in the evolution of patient preferences, treatments and goals, the better the outcome. In addition, by working with the family early on, we have a better foundation to provide support for the bereaved after the death of their loved one. Q How is patient empowerment changing the p r a c t i c e o f h o s p i c e? A: I think we are challenged, like all health care providers, by the pace and complexity of decision-making. There are so many options to consider as one moves toward the end of life, and many are not medical. As I mentioned before, there are psychosocial, spiritual and even financial considerations. The question of where the patient can best be cared for is critical to the delivery of health services, and those circumstances can change rapidly. The patient is asking, ���Where am I going to live when I can no longer take care of myself? Who will be there to take care of me? Am I being too much of a burden? Can I afford this? What money am I leaving for my spouse? What relationships do I want to mend before I die? Do I still believe all those things about life after death? Are my loved